GPT fdisk

Spec sheet

Purpose

GPT fdisk is a set of text-mode tools for creating and manipulating partition tables.Read 4 Oct 2026 · rodsbooks.com

Platforms

The project describes GPT fdisk as available for Linux, FreeBSD, macOS, and Windows.Read 4 Oct 2026 · rodsbooks.com

Founded

2009Read 28 Sep 2026 · rodsbooks.com

Maker

The GPT fdisk pages identify Roderick W. Smith as the primary author.Read 4 Oct 2026 · rodsbooks.com

Backup and recovery

The tools provide options to back up partition data and access GPT data recovery functions.Read 4 Oct 2026 · rodsbooks.com

Conversion

gdisk can read an MBR partition table or BSD disklabel and convert it to GPT without damaging partition contents.Read 4 Oct 2026 · rodsbooks.com

Disk image limitation

sgdisk can operate on raw disk image files but does not support compressed or other advanced disk image formats.Read 4 Oct 2026 · rodsbooks.com

Distribution packages

GPT fdisk is included in most major Linux distributions’ standard package repositories, though some distributions may provide outdated versions.Read 4 Oct 2026 · rodsbooks.com

Download version

The download page identifies GPT fdisk version 1.0.10 and was last updated February 19, 2024.Read 4 Oct 2026 · rodsbooks.com

Downloads

The download page lists Linux RPM and Debian packages, Windows and macOS binaries, and source files; it says the EFI binary is available only through version 1.0.4.Read 4 Oct 2026 · rodsbooks.com

FreeBSD limitation

The FreeBSD version normally cannot save partition-table changes when a partition on the disk is mounted.Read 4 Oct 2026 · rodsbooks.com

GPT support

gdisk, cgdisk, and sgdisk work with GUID Partition Table (GPT) disks.Read 4 Oct 2026 · rodsbooks.com

Included tools

The package consists of gdisk, cgdisk, sgdisk, and FixParts.Read 4 Oct 2026 · rodsbooks.com

Interactive editor

gdisk provides an interactive interface for manipulating GPT data structures, including advanced settings such as partition-table size.Read 4 Oct 2026 · rodsbooks.com

Interfaces

gdisk is interactive and text-mode, sgdisk is a command-line tool suited to scripts, and cgdisk is curses-based and interactive.Read 4 Oct 2026 · rodsbooks.com

macOS limitation

The project says System Integrity Protection in macOS 10.11 and later blocks low-level access needed to repartition the system disk, while USB flash drives remain accessible.Read 4 Oct 2026 · rodsbooks.com

MBR repair

FixParts repairs certain types of MBR disk damage and can change partition types between primary and logical.Read 4 Oct 2026 · rodsbooks.com

Origin

Rod Smith says he first wrote GPT fdisk in 2009, initially focusing on MBR-to-GPT conversion.Read 4 Oct 2026 · rodsbooks.com

Partition alignment

On new disks, GPT fdisk attempts to align partitions on 1 MiB boundaries by default.Read 4 Oct 2026 · rodsbooks.com

Repair and backup

GPT fdisk can help recover damaged GPT data structures, and gdisk, sgdisk, and cgdisk can save partition data to a backup file.Read 4 Oct 2026 · rodsbooks.com

Scripting

sgdisk is a command-line tool intended for scripts and quick tasks, with fewer features than gdisk.Read 4 Oct 2026 · rodsbooks.com

Support contact

The download page invites users to email Rod Smith with problems or comments about that page at [email protected].Read 4 Oct 2026 · rodsbooks.com

Supported operating systems

The tutorial describes GPT fdisk as available for Linux, FreeBSD, macOS, and Windows.Read 4 Oct 2026 · rodsbooks.com

Text interface

cgdisk provides a semi-GUI text interface based on ncurses and is described as easier to use than gdisk, though it has fewer features.Read 4 Oct 2026 · rodsbooks.com

Usage caution

The maker advises using an OS-specific partition-table program where possible; sgdisk performs minimal error checking and does not prompt for confirmation before making changes.Read 4 Oct 2026 · rodsbooks.com

Verification

gdisk’s verify command checks for problems such as incorrect CRCs and mismatched main and backup data, but does not automatically correct most problems.Read 4 Oct 2026 · rodsbooks.com

Where Specifiction places it

• Hard Drive Partitioning Software#9 of 177.5
• Disk Partition Software#15 of 227.5